Last night, ESPN's Monday Night Football - a lopsided 40-14 Chicago Bears' victory over the Minnesota Vikings earned an 11.6 rating (9.9 US rating), representing an average of 11,573,000 households (17,094,000 viewers - P2+), according to Nielsen.

MNF won the night among all programs (broadcast or cable) in households, viewers and all key male and adult demos, helping ESPN win the night among all networks for the fifth time this season. In addition, MNF has won the night in the men 18-34, men 18-49, adult 18-34 and adult 18-49 demos each Monday this season (15 consecutive weeks).

Through the first 15 weeks (16 games), ESPN's MNF is averaging a 10.4 household rating (8.9 US rating), 10,337,000 households (14,370,000 viewers), slightly ahead in all categories versus 2009. ESPN MNF games rank as the 15 biggest audiences among households and the 11 biggest among total viewers for cable television in 2010 (including the 2009 MNF season finale - Minnesota vs. Chicago, 12/28/09 - which falls within the Nielsen 2010 calendar). Last night's Bears-Vikings game ranks as the ninth most-viewed program among viewers in cable television history (excluding breaking news), according to Nielsen. For the year, it ranks as cable television's sixth most-viewed cable program among households and fourth most-watched among viewers.

ESPN's Monday Night Countdown (7-8:30 p.m.) also performed well Monday night, registering its most-viewed 90-minute show ever - 3,489,000 households and 5,046,000 viewers, based on a 3.5 household rating, the highest rating ever for a 90-minute Countdown. The Oct. 5, 2009 show, which preceded Brett Favre's first game for the Vikings against his former Green Bay Packers team, also had a 3.5 rating and previously ranked as the most-viewed with 3,476,000 households and 4,540,000 viewers.

MNF SEASON FINALE NEXT WEEK

ESPN's 2010 MNF season concludes next week (Dec. 27) with Matt Ryan and the NFC-leading Atlanta Falcons (12-2) hosting Drew Brees and the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints (10-4) at 8:30 p.m. ET in a game with major playoff implications for both teams. ESPN's game around the game coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. with NFL Live and continues throughout the afternoon.